Engineers Choose DiGiCo Quantum338 and Quantum5 for Laufey World Tour

	"The Q338 and Q5 are fantastic monitor consoles; the layout of both surfaces makes getting anything done very quick and efficient," says Mut.

Icelandic singer-songwriter Laufey's A Matter of Time Tour, which accompanies the album of the same name, began in 2025, concluding in August 2026 with dates globally. At front of house, Matt Grabe is using a DiGiCo Quantum338, while monitor engineer Sebastian Mut began the tour with a Quantum338 and later expanded to a Quantum5 for later dates. Sound Image, a Clair Global brand, supplies all consoles.

Grabe has been working with Laufey since 2024, and DiGiCo has always been his manufacturer of choice, allowing him to mix fast and instinctively. "Having a reliable desk that can be sourced anywhere in the world is non-negotiable," he explains. "I started specifying Quantum consoles due to the clarity of the screens. I have minimal vision in one eye and a transplant in the other. From day one, my top-tier Sound Image representative Kim Sawaya made sure that one was always available. I didn't start using Quantum features until recently, but now MSE and Spice Rack are in use on every file."

Mut began his training in houses of worship before moving into touring. He started with Laufey in 2024 and has used DiGiCo consoles throughout his career. "We swapped to the Q5 for Laufey's Coachella performance," he recalls. "The Q338 and Q5 are fantastic monitor consoles; the layout of both surfaces makes getting anything done very quick and efficient. The most useful features for me have absolutely been the powerful Snapshot and automation functionality, as well as the Spice Rack, specifically Naga 6. With all the international travel on this tour, being able to keep everything in a slim package that can be replicated in a new region quickly has been important for us."

Depending on the type of show, the engineers will either take their own equipment or pick it up locally. "We travel with the control package, desks, I/O, mics, and instrument DIs," Grabe continues. "On occasion, we fly into a duplicate of that system. It's daunting to recreate as we are near fully loaded on four SD-Racks, an SD-MiNi Rack, and over 50 channels of RF. The set has a string quartet, a jazz trio on the B-Stage, and even a moving Steinway grand piano. Our brilliant technicians make that all possible. For solo dates, it's very simple to convert the show file to whatever SD or Quantum desk is provided locally."

Laufey's style is pure and deliberate, with Grabe using a very light touch in terms of processing. He relies on faders to ride dynamics, rather than heavy gating or compression, ensuring every detail is heard with natural clarity. At the monitor position, Mut has a similar methodology, using the Fourier transform.engine as his dedicated choice for plugins, as required. For him, the reliability guaranteed by Fourier's rock-solid sandboxing gives him an appreciated additional layer of security.

"The Fourier has been a great piece of hardware; it's very consistent and has been without any major issues," he notes. "It's a relief to know that if anything were to happen with a plug-in mid-show, it wouldn't stop everything running on the server. The console integration is a big feature for me. Having Snapshot recall between the transform.engine and the console without any extra hardware or programming is really useful. I've also been very impressed with how much processing power I have available to me with just one server."

"We've chosen DiGiCo due to logistics, and the power of the desk," Mut says. "Being able to replicate this package anywhere in the world, quickly, and without much fuss, is a huge selling point for us. And with the powerful Snapshot and automation functionality, we can nimbly do anything we're asked to deliver the best product for our artist."

"There are scenarios where you jump on a red-eye flight to mix a new band with nothing but a festival changeover," Grabe finishes. "Equipped with SD Convert and a punt file, any DiGiCo will do. That doesn't just make my life easier, it makes the task possible."